Delta Airlines New Rules on Traveling with Service and Comfort Animals

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I would say the majority of our community do not fly on a consistent basis so we are just taking an airline that wants to put regulations on our community?

In the last year we have flown and not had any issues with the increase in people talking there dogs.

But if an airline can force someone to have to pay for a dog traveling and now make a profit from someone that needs there dog for support and or emotional needs are even trained there own dog they may struggle in getting documentation.

My limited reading of the ACAA does not allow an airline to charge for a service animal. The ACAA does allow comfort animals or ESA's and I think therein lies the rub. I think they are attempting to treat service animals like ESA's and are trying to make people with service dogs follow the rules in the ACAA for ESA's and these are two different situations altogether even by the ACAA rules. I am not an expert and I have not read everything on the matter.

In NC you can train your own dog(well everywhere you can) and send into NC DHHS the correct documentation and get tags for your service animal. This is not a requirement but just a help for people when they run into people that do not know that you do not need to carry any documentation in regards to your service animal. If you trained it yourself you have to get someone not related to you to send in a notarized statement saying that they have observed the animal doing the services for the person with the disability that you are stating it has been trained to do. https://www.ncdhhs.gov/service-anima...e-disabilities

Maybe someone that has a better knowledge of the ACAA can chime in but I would be surprised if the ACAA would allow Airlines to require documentation of one's disability.

Well it was not had to find this

?382.23May carriers require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate?

(a) Except as provided in this section, you must not require a passenger with a disability to have a medical certificate as a condition for being provided transportation.

(b)(1) You may require a medical certificate for a passenger with a disability—

(i) Who is traveling in a stretcher or incubator;

(ii) Who needs medical oxygen during a flight; or

(iii) Whose medical condition is such that there is reasonable doubt that the individual can complete the flight safely, without requiring extraordinary medical assistance during the flight.

I am sure the Airlines could be having a hard time with the number of people that seem to have an "ESA" these days and as well with the increasing number of people passing their dog off as a service animal but I think we need to educate ourselves and not let the Airlines overstep their bounds and to not let them treat Service animals like ESA's As well as make sure the ACAA is being followed.

Originally Posted by RollPositive

We need to be careful that we don't make assumptions!

I would say the majority of our community do not fly on a consistent basis so we are just taking an airline that wants to put regulations on our community?

In the last year we have flown and not had any issues with the increase in people talking there dogs.

But if an airline can force someone to have to pay for a dog traveling and now make a profit from someone that needs there dog for support and or emotional needs are even trained there own dog they may struggle in getting documentation.

To be clear...in the action Delta took on Friday, there is no requirement that an individual prove or have certification of their own disability if you are traveling with a service animal. You must however confirm to Delta 48 hours in advance of your flight that you have documentation of your animal's veterinary health or vaccination records.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states, “A public entity may ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. A public entity shall not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal.”

It doesn't say that a public entity cannot ask for documentation of the animal's health or vaccination records.

If you are traveling with an emotional support (comfort) animal, you must confirm to Delta 48 hours in advance of your flight (1) that you have documentation of your animals veterinary health or vaccination records, (2) a letter signed by a doctor or licensed mental-health professional stating your need for the animal, and (3) a signed letter stating the animal is trained to behave without a kennel.

And somehow, I am not following the rest of your post, "my seat cover got soaked in the cargo area and we had to take it before I would get in chair. Could you clarify?

dog have no idea how my wheelchair cushion and cover was soaked to pint of dripping it was in the cargo hold where my chair was I have a real problem with these so called dogs not a service dog the fakers wantabee

dog have no idea how my wheelchair cushion and cover was soaked to pint of dripping it was in the cargo hold where my chair was I have a real problem with these so called dogs not a service dog the fakers wantabee

"Under current policy, Delta, along with United Continental(UAL) and American Airlines(AAL), requires passengers to submit proof from a health professional 48 hours in advance that a service animal needs to fly with its owner."

It seems to me that the above requirement for Service Animals will make it harder for people with Service Animals and may already be in violation of the ACAA. It does not say anything about when the documentation has to be acquired. Can this documentation be 10 years old? The devil is in the details....

"Under current policy, Delta, along with United Continental(UAL) and American Airlines(AAL), requires passengers to submit proof from a health professional 48 hours in advance that a service animal needs to fly with its owner."

It seems to me that the above requirement for Service Animals will make it harder for people with Service Animals and may already be in violation of the ACAA. It does not say anything about when the documentation has to be acquired. Can this documentation be 10 years old? The devil is in the details....

It does not seem like a good situation for anyone....

This CNN piece sounds like another story in which the writer has no idea of the difference between service, therapy, emotional or comfort dog. I'm happy to say that we've flown 4 times this year on two different airlines with a service dog and have not had to provide any kind of proof. I mean it really doesn't take a genius to see that the people that use a service dog have a physical disability. I'm not worried about our next flight. I really think Delta is pushing the issue to define a few nagging problems in the ACAA. One, animal=dog just like how it is defined in ADA. Two, creating some requirement for the emotional/companion dog crowd with hidden disabilities or just straight up BS.

I've sent an email to the organization that my daughter got her service dog from asking if they have looked into these new guidelines proposed by Delta (with American to follow). They know more about this stuff than me ha

This CNN piece sounds like another story in which the writer has no idea of the difference between service, therapy, emotional or comfort dog. I'm happy to say that we've flown 4 times this year on two different airlines with a service dog and have not had to provide any kind of proof. I mean it really doesn't take a genius to see that the people that use a service dog have a physical disability. I'm not worried about our next flight. I really think Delta is pushing the issue to define a few nagging problems in the ACAA. One, animal=dog just like how it is defined in ADA. Two, creating some requirement for the emotional/companion dog crowd with hidden disabilities or just straight up BS.

I've sent an email to the organization that my daughter got her service dog from asking if they have looked into these new guidelines proposed by Delta (with American to follow). They know more about this stuff than me ha

As I am understanding the Delta requirement as it was reported, Erin would have to provide (by uploading documents to Delta, 48 hours in advance of her flight) documentation of her dog's veterinary health or vaccination records. The dog's veterinarian needs to fill out and sign a from, available on line from Delta. Erin should then carry the completed form with her when she flies. Whether that changes between now and the time she flies home in May, is anyone's guess.

It will be good to hear the feedback from the organization that trained Erin's dog.

Delta Airline Forms to be uploaded to Delta, 48 hours in advance of flight.

Passenger traveling with a trained service animal: Veterinary Health Form at https://www.delta.com/content/dam/de...uiredForms.pdf
This form must be completed by a veterinarian professional and requires Customer's Name, date of the last Rabies Vaccine, date of the last Distemper Vaccine, Animal', License number, Date of License issued, State where license issued, Name of the Veterinarian practice, phone number, printed name of the Veterinarian and his/her signature.

Passenger traveling with an Emotional Support/Psychiatric Service Animal: https://www.delta.com/content/dam/de...uiredForms.pdf
There are three forms: (1) Veterinary Health Form (as above), (2) Medical/Mental Health Professional Form (certification from a Medical/Mental Health professional that the customers has a mental health related disability that is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and (3) Confirmation of Animal Training Form that is filled out by and signed by the customer/owner of animal, affirming that the animal has been trained to behave in a public setting and takes direction upon command, and recognizing that if the animal acts inappropriately that it will not be considered acceptable or air travel and be denied boarding or will be removed from the aircraft.